The beginning of the month saw an announcement that Spillemyndigheden will assume the rights and responsibilities of the secretariat of Denmark’s national platform for battling match-fixing.
Among other things, the relocation of Anti-Doping Denmark’s responsibilities to the Danish Gambling Authority would mean that the latter would turn into a knowledge and information center in the country’s battle against match-fixing activities. Apart from that, Spillemyndigheden will become responsible for StopMatchfixing – a platform that allows anyone to report suspected match-fixing activities in the country.
In its role as a secretariat for the national platform aimed at battling match-fixing in Denmark, the Danish Gambling Authority will be expected to coordinate the various meeting forums that are being organized under the platform. Apart from that, Spillemyndigheden has received the responsibility for analyzing data regarding suspicious wagers placed on sports events and passing on information regarding possible breaches of the relevant international and/or national organizations and authorities.
Anders Dorph, who currently heads the Danish Gambling Authority, shared that the assumption of Anti-Doping Denmark’s responsibilities is a big responsibility because it is a very important task. He further noted that since the regulator would receive data on betting on sports events across Denmark-licensed gambling companies, it would make perfect sense for the body to be also the one that is granted the unifying and coordinating function.
Spillemyndigheden Will Aim at Ensuring International Cooperation in Combating Match-Fixing
The relocation of the secretariat’s responsibilities to the Danish Gambling Authority was officially decided by a political agreement that dates back to February 2022.
Currently, data is one of the major tools used for battling the foul practice of match-fixing and can even be compared to the significance of the so-called “blood passport” aimed at combating doping.
As confirmed by Spillemyndigheden, the national platform for combating match-fixing currently consists of Anti-Doping Denmark, the Ministry of Culture, the Danish Gambling Authority, the Danish Online Gambling Association (Spillebranchen), Danske Licens Spil A/S, the Attorney General’s Office, the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF), and the Special Crime Unit, the Danish Football Association (DBU).
Apart from meeting coordination and match-fixing cases investigation, the Danish Gambling Authority will be responsible for ensuring strong international cooperation with foreign authorities that also battle match-fixing activities. Mr. Dorph explained that Spillemyndigheden would have a major focus on collaboration with other countries’ national platforms and gambling authorities.
At the end of March, the Danish Gambling Authority officially revealed details about its work will illegal gambling in 2022. Apart from that, a European association of gambling authorities – Gaming Regulators European Forum (GREF) of which Spillemyndigheden is a member along with 35 other countries and jurisdictions, issued a statement to confirm that it will make further efforts to battle illegal gambling. The GREF members have been willing to enhance cooperation across Europe when it comes to combating gambling operators that offer their services without the necessary permissions.
